The present invention relates generally to the field of power electronic devices such as those used in power conversion or applying power to motors and similar loads. More particularly, the invention relates to an interconnect feature capable of communicatively coupling electrical distribution buses and associated systems and methods.
In the field of power electronic devices, a wide range of circuitry is known and currently available for transmitting, converting, producing, and applying power. Depending upon the application, such circuitry may transmit incoming power to various devices and/or convert incoming power from one form to another as needed by a load. For example, in a drive system, circuitry may be utilized to take power from a high voltage electrical grid and convert it for use with a high horse power motor or the like. Alternatively, circuitry may be utilized to simply distribute power to different devices. Circuitry for providing such functionality is often packaged together. Indeed, electrical systems with packaged electrical and electronic components, such as drive cabinets and motor control centers, are known and in use. For example, motor control centers (MCCs) are used for power and data distribution in large industrial operations, and drive cabinets are used for power conversion and distribution. In a typical MCC and/or drive cabinet a variety of components are housed in large electrical enclosures that may be subdivided into compartments. For example, an MCC may include components such as switchgear, semiconductor power electronic circuits, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), motor controllers, and so forth. A drive cabinet may include a rectifier (converter), an inverter, transitional attachments, and so forth. Further, such electrical enclosures may include bus work that communicatively couples the components with a power source and/or other components. Many systems utilize both MCC and drive cabinets together.
Typically, MCC cabinets are connected to a main power line via an MCC bus. For example, an MCC bus is typically communicatively coupled to a power source (e.g., a grid that provides three-phase AC power or a DC power source) so that the MCC bus can provide power to the various devices and features disposed along the MCC bus. Drive systems that are utilized in conjunction with such an MCC also require access to the main power. However, since the MCC bus is typically already connected to the power grid, it is generally more efficient to transmit the power from the MCC bus to the drive system via a drive system bus. The MCC bus typically passes through the drive cabinet, which facilitates coupling between the MCC bus and the drive system bus. However, the MCC bus also typically extends along a cabinet panel that supports the MCC bus and substantially separates the MCC bus from drive cabinet features. Accordingly, traditional connections between an MCC bus and a drive bus include cabling or the like that extend over the paneling from the MCC bus to the drive bus. It is now recognized that such connections can be inefficient and cumbersome. Further, it is now recognized that more efficient, accessible, and tidy mechanisms for bus to bus interconnection are desirable.